I think I scored. Just need help identifying this Parker Bowie.

W

WTF

Joined
Feb 20, 2000
Messages
1,057
Hey all,

So yeah saw this bowie on ebay and snatched it up. I think I scored. Its a Parker. Is this the Parker Cutlery Company (Parker Cut Co)? Not to much info on the internet about this Bowie. Its made in Japan. The sheath is not original...





There is a video on YouTube that has the exact same knife but Boker Magnum put it out.
I couldn't find anything on the Boker Magum either on the internet. I asked the YouTuber who owns the knife if he even knew the name but he said he had no idea.

Can anyone shed any light?
 
Last edited:
That pattern went around quite a few brands in the late 80's, early 90's. Frost had the exact knife under their brand too. The were supposedly made by the same Japanese firm that was handling Blackjack's Japanese business. It is very close to their Anaconda model in feel and finish -

collectible-blackjack-anaconda-ii_1_15a563d1d7e514d489098001f6301319.jpg
.
 
Bring me up to date on who Parker is please as i am not familiar with the name in the knife world.
Even if it is made by a famous maker dont you feel that stainless in a big bowtie is kind of a gimmick and not a serious bowie. At best it would be 440c which as a user bowie would not be ideal for survival.
 
James Parker is a big figure in late 70's - 90's knives. He, along with Jim Frost were among the first to import large quantities of Japanese knives. He also at one point owned the various Parker brands, Bulldog, and briefly Case (Case Classics), and briefly again, the Cutlery World line of retail stores. He also imported Wingen and Weidmannsheil.

He was also known for being one of the shadier figures in cutlery for his habit of rebranding his knives under old trademarks, sometimes without the owner's permission (e.g. - Marble's). He also isn't fondly remembered for what happened to Case and Cutlery World under his rule.

The knife there is probably AUS-6 or 8.
 
tltt said:
That pattern went around quite a few brands in the late 80's, early 90's. Frost had the exact knife under their brand too. The were supposedly made by the same Japanese firm that was handling Blackjack's Japanese business. It is very close to their Anaconda model in feel and finish -
Click to expand...

Yup. Kinryu Corporation of Seki City owned by the Suzuki family. They OEMed for Lakota, Blackjack, SOG, Cold Steel etc. OP's Parker is Aus6.
 
Jim Parker actually did a lot for the knife world. He had his "dark side" if you adhere strictly to "the light". He was a businessman who grew up in a very small "town". He started the commemorative knife thing that Case continues to do today. His son is active selling knives on flea-bay. He started the Knife Museum that later died and the building sold. A lot of the museum pieces went to Smoky Mountain Knife Works in Sevierville TN. I believe Jim Parker's brother started SMKW and I would imagine that he helped finance it to get it off the ground. He is a member of the Knife Hall of Fame as I recall. He started one of the national magazines.
 
tltt said:
That pattern went around quite a few brands in the late 80's, early 90's. Frost had the exact knife under their brand too. The were supposedly made by the same Japanese firm that was handling Blackjack's Japanese business. It is very close to their Anaconda model in feel and finish -

collectible-blackjack-anaconda-ii_1_15a563d1d7e514d489098001f6301319.jpg
.
Click to expand...
Are these knives any good. I have the chance to buy the frost version, but it says “surgical steel Japan” on it, so I’m thinking the steel isn’t too good?
 
kamtheman said:
Are these knives any good. I have the chance to buy the frost version, but it says “surgical steel Japan” on it, so I’m thinking the steel isn’t too good?
Click to expand...

KenHash said:
Yup. Kinryu Corporation of Seki City owned by the Suzuki family. They OEMed for Lakota, Blackjack, SOG, Cold Steel etc. OP's Parker is Aus6.
Click to expand...

I consider AUS 6 to be roughly equivalent to 440A.
The fit and finish of the knives Parker marketed is usually pretty fair. I don't think he specified a fancy heat treat, so I would expect the Rockwell to be about 55HRC, which was not an unusual hardness for 440A blades during that time (aside from Schrade).

==============================================================
JamesofArc said:
Bring me up to date on who Parker is please as i am not familiar with the name in the knife world.
Even if it is made by a famous maker dont you feel that stainless in a big bowtie is kind of a gimmick and not a serious bowie. At best it would be 440c which as a user bowie would not be ideal for survival.
Click to expand...

This thread probably has the most complete history of Jim Parker.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/jim-parker.570955/
 
kvaughn said:
Do a search here on Jim Parker. Lots and lots of info.--KV
Click to expand...

This. Searching in the Bernard Levine forum about Parker is educational.

As for the knife I suspect it is of rather mediocre quality
 
WTF said:
Hey all,

So yeah saw this bowie on ebay and snatched it up. I think I scored. Its a Parker. Is this the Parker Cutlery Company (Parker Cut Co)? Not to much info on the internet about this Bowie. Its made in Japan. The sheath is not original...





There is a video on YouTube that has the exact same knife but Boker Magnum put it out.
I couldn't find anything on the Boker Magum either on the internet. I asked the YouTuber who owns the knife if he even knew the name but he said he had no idea.

Can anyone shed any light?
Click to expand...
I’d like to know too, I have an opportunity to purchase one of these and there’s almost no info on them available. Are they any good?
 
General outdoor/survival use. It resembles Anaconda made by Blackjack so I’d assume they’re good for that general spec, no?
 
bmflover123 said:
General outdoor/survival use. It resembles Anaconda made by Blackjack so I’d assume they’re good for that general spec, no?
Click to expand...
There are a lot of other knives I'd go for over that. There are so many newer steels and companies out here that are putting out great products with much better materials.
 
I’m sure there are, and I know that today’s steels are superior to the steels of 1980/1990. But I’m asking as to this certain blade.
 
bmflover123 said:
I’m sure there are, and I know that today’s steels are superior to the steels of 1980/1990. But I’m asking as to this certain blade.
Click to expand...
Right, and that's why I asked what are you using it for. Only thing I'd use Aus6 steel for, which is what that is made of, is for decoration. I sure wouldn't trust it as a survival knife.
 
bmflover123 said:
General outdoor/survival use. It resembles Anaconda made by Blackjack so I’d assume they’re good for that general spec, no?
Click to expand...

The knives Jim Parker had made in Japan had a reputation for good fit and finish. As I stated 6 months ago, AUS 6 is pretty close to 440A in performance. I would guess the hardness would be about 55-56HRC. Nothing wrong with that on a blade that size. It's a nice big blade, but I would bet it's a stick tang.
So In My Opinion,
General Outdoor use? Might make an OK camp knife if you don't mind the guard getting in your way all the time. Not really a good design for that
Survival? I wouldn't trust it for hard use.

Overall, for a user, you could find something better for less money.
IMO, it's only worth money to a collector. There are some folks who collect Parker knives.
 
13 year old me in the 80’s would have wanted it. I spent A LOT of time in Cutlery Worlds in a few malls. Very nostalgic.
 
As others have said, it's a good piece for a collector. Not saying it can't hold up to use--I'm sure it could--but there are certainly tougher knives out these days. I bought this knife a few months ago, and although I ended up selling it, it was a very cool and rare find, and I only got rid of it because I have too many knives this size and didn't have a good use for it. If you like to collect unique bowie knives, or are a bowie knife guy, it may interest you. Knives like this aren't being made anymore.

I think someone mentioned in this thread that this knife is made by the same company who made the blackjack anaconda knives. As such, it's great quality. I have two blackjack anaconda's and, in my opinion, it's one of the finest bowie knives ever produced. Or course, that's just what I think, opinions will vary. Like Solingen, Germany, Seki Japan was once one of the cutlery capitals of the world, so there's definitely good stuff coming from there. If I had to have one bowie knife only for the woods, it probably wouldn't be this one. If I wanted to add a cool, unique and rare bowie to my collection, this is something I'd be interested in.

There's always better knives out there, but if you like the design, go for it. It will likely do everything you ask of it short of batoning.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top